Opinion: More shticky TV reruns

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Here is Part 2 of looking back at some of my favorite funny segments during my last 40 years in TV.

Bruised ego

Dick the Bruiser loved the camera. When I asked him to be on my show, he said he was up for anything. However, he was never up before 11 a.m. My interview segments in those days started live at 5:30 a.m., so I told Bruiser I was going to knock on his door and that his wife should answer and tell me he was still sleeping. I’d tell her to wake him, but she would warn me that it could put me in serious jeopardy.

In the next segment, Bruiser appears at the door, pretending I woke him. This was all set up, although he really did look ticked. He put me in a headlock, banged my noggin into the grill and then grabbed the back of my pants and launched me into his pool. That episode created quite a splash. It can be found on YouTube.

Hounded to death

I received a call from a man wanting to show how his dogs could track a fox scent. I asked if my beagle, Barney, could participate. Prior to the show, an artificial fox scent was spread along the ground leading to a tree. I had also taken a giant beef salami and rubbed it along the ground, but this path led to this meaty treat on a picnic table far from the hounds’ ultimate destination. Minutes later, the coon dogs were barking up the right tree, while Barney was enjoying a nice kosher meal.

Sales force

Comedian Soupy Sales and I hosted a few shows together in New York. Years later, he was booked at an Indy comedy club, so I scheduled him as a guest on my morning WISH-TV segment. I opened the on-site broadcast from his hotel lobby, where I introduced that the one-and-only Soupy Sales was rumored to be in the building. The elevator door opened, and out walked Soupy.

“Hello,” I said. “Did you hear that Soupy Sales is staying here?”

“I am Soupy Sales,” he said, faking his annoyance. I persisted …

“No, really! Soupy Sales is staying at this very hotel.”

“For the last time, I am Soupy Sales.”

Next followed the rehearsed zinger.

“Wow, you sure got older!” I said.

On cue, a waiter walked by with a pie. Soupy grabbed the pie off the tray and deposited it right in my face.

A photo of that moment is in my office, signed by the legendary comic: “To Dick Wolfsie: That was great shtick. Love, Soupy.”


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